Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease, which means the immune system attacks healthy cells, causing inflammation in the joints. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), RA commonly affects joints in the wrists, hands, and knees causing chronic pain, unsteadiness (lack of balance), and deformity (misshapenness). The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown, however there is evidence that autoimmune diseases are inherited. Treatment for RA typically includes self-management strategies and the use of medications that improve symptoms, reduce inflammation, and prevent joint deformity.
Depending on the child’s stage of development, here are some key words you can use when explaining Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) to children:
• Joint – a place in your body where two bones meet together
• Immune system – the parts of your body that protect you from germs that could make you sick
• Inflammation – red or swollen
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include the following:
• Pain or aching in more than one joint
• Stiffness in more than one joint
• Tenderness and swelling in more than one joint
• Weight loss
• Fever
• Fatigue or tiredness
• Weakness
Rheumatoid Arthritis Facts from Arthritis Foundation
• Nearly 1.5 million people in the United States have RA.
• Women are three times more likely to have RA than men.
• In women, RA typically begins between the ages of 30 and 60.
• Having a family member with RA increases your likelihood of having RA, however most people with RA do not have a family history of the disease.
Resources
- Websites
• https://www.ra.com/
• https://www.arthritis.org/diseases/rheumatoid-arthritis
• https://www.rheumatology.org/I-Am-A/Patient-Caregiver/Diseases-Conditions/Rheumatoid-Arthritis - Books
• Your Life with Rheumatoid Arthritis: Tools for Managing Treatment, Side Effects and Pain by Lene Anderson
• Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis by Tammi L. Shlotzhauer, M.D. and James L. McGuire, M.D.
• Get a Grip: A Take-Charge Approach to Living with Arthritis by Amy L. Leong and Joe Layden
• Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness by Jon Kabat-Zinn - Applications
• RheumaHelper
• PainScale – Pain Tracker Diary
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References
Arthritis Foundation. Rheumatoid arthritis: Causes, symptoms, treatments. (n.d.). https://www.arthritis.org/diseases/rheumatoid-arthritis.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Rheumatoid arthritis (ra). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/rheumatoid-arthritis.html.